Friday, December 14, 2001
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Nine people have been arrested as part of an ongoing drug investigation by local, state and federal authorities.
"This is really only the beginning of the crackdown on drugs," said Matthew Mangino, Lawrence County district attorney.
Warrants were issued early Thursday and most suspects were in police custody by midmorning, the district attorney said.
All were arraigned by District Justice Melissa Amodie in New Castle. Preliminary hearings for all nine people are set for Dec. 21.
Most face charges involving the sale of crack cocaine to undercover police or informants, according to court papers.
One suspect is accused of selling marijuana, and another is accused of selling heroin.
Other arrests: Mangino said Thursday's arrests, coupled with eight others last week by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Pittsburgh, have put a dent in drug trafficking in the New Castle area.
The district attorney noted that there is no connection between last week's arrests and those Thursday.
It is unclear from court papers if the nine people arrested Thursday were acting as a drug ring or independently.
Mangino said this is part of a probe that started over a year ago. Most of the drug buys were made earlier this year, he said.
The attorney general's office, New Castle police, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lawrence County District Attorney's Drug Task Force and Union Township police were involved in Thursday's arrests.